https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts Focus Novel: "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon Draper / Companion Novel: "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman en-us 2022-10-29 16:43:15 UTC 2025-05-25 12:35:00 UTC hello@padlet.com kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608509 - Racism
- Community
- Hope
- Family
- Time
- Resilience 
- Religion ]]> 2022-10-29 16:54:16 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608509 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608646 1. What are the impacts of racism?

2. How does resilience strengthen a community?]]> 2022-10-29 16:54:33 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608646 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608780 Stella lives in segregated Bumblebee, North Carolina during the Great Depression. Some folks in her town were rather nice, while others were downright cruel. With the Ku Klux Klan being tame for quite some time, her community is rightfully rattled. Unfortunately, Stella witnessed a gathering and cross burning by Klans men, bugging her into community activism to keep her family safe. ]]> 2022-10-29 16:54:48 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608780 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608842 "There's plenty about my life I can't change. Can't bring the dead back to life on this earth. Can't make the world loving and kind. Can't change myself into a millionaire. But a patch of ground in this trashy lot—I can change that. Can change it big. Better to put my time into that than moaning about the other all day."]]> 2022-10-29 16:54:56 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608842 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608927 With each chapter following a different character, readers begin to fill in the story about a community garden that rises out of a trash-filled, vacant lot in Cleveland, Ohio. Each character's perspective displays their role in cultivating the community garden—all unknowingly assuming an essential role to make the community garden possible. Characters challenge their preconceived notions and slowly learn about one-another. ]]> 2022-10-29 16:55:05 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361608927 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609336 "The Rose That Grew From Concrete" is the perfect partner poem for both "Seedfolks" and "Stella by Starlight" because of the connection to the connection to themes of nature and racism seen in the novels. When introducing this text to students, I would target understanding the difference in how each "story" is told. How does the language differ? Ultimately, my goal would be to connect students to the ways racism has impacted each of the texts. ]]> 2022-10-29 16:55:49 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609336 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609384 2022-10-29 16:55:55 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609384 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609480 2022-10-29 16:56:07 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609480 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609597 2022-10-29 16:56:25 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609597 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609657 2022-10-29 16:56:32 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609657 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609724 2022-10-29 16:56:39 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609724 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609767 Through discussion of racism, community, hope, family, time period, religion and resilience, students will leave with a strengthened understanding of racism in America. The order of texts will depend on each teacher's understandings of their students and what types of connections/scaffolding they need. Though, I recommend having read Stella by Starlight before diving into Seedfolks. Additionally, while the theme of community is a key factor, educators should feel empowered to reorder the themes of importance based on the needs of their students/school/community. This collection of linked texts is meant to take students through a journey of racism and resilience in America. Connections to your community's hometown should be made as much as possible, as a way to directly show students the impacts of racism. As well, finding ways to demonstrate joy, resilience, and freedom dreaming is essential to begin to ignite students to take a stand. Some students will come into the classroom already empowered with the truths of our past, some maybe will know a few things, and even some will know nothing. Centering all those experiences as valid is key, too. Consider where students own life experiences can take stage among this linked text set. ]]> 2022-10-29 16:56:44 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361609767 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361663459 Did u hear about the rose that grew from a crack
in the concrete
Proving nature’s laws wrong it learned 2 walk
without having feet
Funny it seems but by keeping its dreams
it learned 2 breathe fresh air
Long live the rose that grew from concrete
when no one else even cared!]]> 2022-10-29 18:40:25 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361663459 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705039 Providing students with an informational text about the KKK is critical to help students understand the significance of what they are reading in Stella by Starlight. Scaffold students' level of understanding by facilitating group work to collaborate while they are learning. Britannica also offers three levels of reading difficulty so students have the autonomy to adjust their own learning. Additionally, providing informational learning will allow deeper reflection on the two novels and companion texts. While the novels' plots are fictional, it is important to remind students the topics discussed are a consequence of past actions. ]]> 2022-10-29 20:15:48 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705039 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705202 2022-10-29 20:16:15 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705202 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705538 This TED Talk brings an important concept to the table: silent racism. In Stella by Starlight, the actions of racism are often blatant and directly impact the characters. However, in Seedfolks, racism has silently accumulated in the community. James White Sr.'s experience buying a house in Columbus, Ohio demonstrates both forms of racism: the silent and the blatant. ]]> 2022-10-29 20:17:03 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705538 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705622 While part of the importance of Seedfolks is providing students with literature they can critically assess, another important factor is uplifting hope. Charles Searles' mural is displayed in the William J. Green Federal Building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Through viewing the mural, students should explore the topic of celebration, hope, and the variety of forms joy can manifest. Additionally, through scaffolding, students should mule the importance of Searles' work being displayed in a government building. This should be directly connected to Leona's story and persistent actions to get the trash removed; how does her experience with government and government buildings differ? ]]> 2022-10-29 20:17:14 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705622 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705659 Because my own placement is at a catholic school with 7th/8th graders, I understand that the word "goddam" will need some extra scaffolding. I would first address students with the definition of goddamn: (slang) an expression of anger, surprise, intense excitement, or frustration; (derogatory) damned by God. I would even further break down the definition of derogatory: (adjective) reducing the power or value of; lessening the worth of. Finally, breaking down the meaning of damn(ed): (verb) to condemn, to declare guilty, to doom, to adjudge, to punishment. My goal would be to help students understand the power of curse words, and what times they are appropriate. After going through the article with students, students should realize Nina Simone is rightfully angry over the killing of innocent Black people. While watching the video, going back through making frequent stops to break down the lyrics and connect to information about each atrocity. Finally, ending with an opportunity for argumentative writing on students' opinions if the use of "goddam" was justified. Students should use justification using the lyrics, videos viewed, articles read, and novels. ]]> 2022-10-29 20:17:23 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705659 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705748 When creating this linked text set, I envisioned this clip from "black-ish" to appear around the discussion of voting in Stella by Starlight. Even though some of Stella's family is able to vote, they face many barriers to access participation in politics. This clip from "black-ish" illuminates the existing prevalence of restricting voting. However, I want neither this video clip nor Stella by Starlight to discourage students from participating in politics. Rather, I want students to realize the existence of voter suppression directly proves the power our elected politicians have—which can be proved through various topics today (Covid-19 response, school gun violence, abortion, even voting rights). ]]> 2022-10-29 20:17:36 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361705748 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361713207 "I start up conversations in lines and on the bus and with cashiers. People see I'm friendly, no matter what they've heard about whites or Jews. If I'm lucky, I get 'em talking to each other. Sewing up the rips in the neighborhood."]]> 2022-10-29 20:36:36 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361713207 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361714001 "Watching him carefully sprinkling them into the troughs he'd made, I realized that I didn't know anything about growing food and that he knew everything. I stared at his busy fingers, then his eyes. They were focused, not far-away or confused. He'd changed from a baby back into a man."]]> 2022-10-29 20:38:47 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361714001 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361714787 "I gave her a smile and showed her that I was just giving her plants some water. This made her eyes go even bigger. I stood up slowly and backed away. I smiled again. She watched me leave. We never spoke one word."]]> 2022-10-29 20:40:48 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361714787 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715482 "Most every plank of pinewood inside the house was covered with old newspapers. Newsy decoration, Mama called it. The
pages were glued on with wood paste and randomly selected: a wall might sport an ad for medicine next to an article on the price of eggs. As the pages yellowed or peeled, Mama slapped fresh ones up. Stella could not remember when she wasn’t surrounded by newsprint. Tonight she reread a piece about what the paper called a crime wave—three robberies—which was next to a story about a college debate team and their success."]]> 2022-10-29 20:42:24 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715482 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715585 "Won’t make no difference anyhow. Won’t put a nickel in your pocket or a biscuit on your table,” Spoon Man argued reasonably.
“It would to me,” her father replied stubbornly. “I live in this country and I ain’t no slave, and dadgummit, I oughta be allowed to vote!”]]> 2022-10-29 20:42:39 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715585 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715655 "Every Negro family in Bumblebee knew the unwritten rules—they had to take care of their own problems and take care of one another. Help from the white community was neither expected nor considered. It was as it always had been"]]> 2022-10-29 20:42:53 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715655 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715736 "The makeshift table was soon overflowing with food—oatmeal cookies, cheese grits, hot biscuits and honey, a sweet potato pie, Apple Brown Betty, black-eyed peas, fried chicken, corn pudding, pulled pork, and pickled pigs’ feet. Every single family brought just a little something. Pastor Patton and his wife from New Hope Church brought a pot of chicken and dumplings."]]> 2022-10-29 20:43:04 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2361715736 kayla146 https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2362222585 2022-10-30 17:41:49 UTC https://padlet.com/kayla146/linkedtexts/wish/2362222585